5 Things Veterans Are Looking For In Company Culture

Veterans make great members of your company team. They’re often hard-working, extremely motivated, and willing to go the extra mile for your company. In many cases, veterans are willing to put in extra time or effort that other employees not be. They also have strong leadership skills, a great sense of teamwork, and the ability to learn new skills fast. Hiring a veteran can be a great step for your company—but first, you have to attract them to you. If you’re thinking about trying to hire a veteran, make sure your company culture reflects these five key traits.

1. Respect

Military veterans want to be treated with respect—and they’re taught to identify it from the moment they first come through the door for an interview. Most veterans are keen observers, which means that they’ll be paying attention to the little details. For example:

How did you greet them? How did you speak to them throughout the interview?

Did you keep them waiting?

How do you speak about the other members of the team while they aren’t there?

Do other members of the team get input about whether or not they’re hired?

All of these things can help show a veteran whether or not they will be respected in your workplace.

2. Clear Purpose

Veterans have spent the last several years of their lives with a clear purpose. They knew they were making a difference in the world when they went to work every day, and many of them will try hard to take that into their new civilian lives. Your company’s purpose will be important to them. They want to know if your company is dedicated to making a difference, what charities you support, and what things you accomplish outside the workplace.

3. Support From Management

Veterans are looking for a company culture where they will be supported. They know better than most civilians just how important it is to have managers who support their employees and give them the tools they need to succeed. Strong leadership within your business will translate to employees who have better odds of accomplishing their daily responsibilities well. Part of this support for veterans may include supporting them throughout the transition to the civilian lifestyle.

4. Teamwork

For the last several years, veterans have lived as members of a team. Many servicemen will admit that they don’t fight for their country or their purpose when they’re overseas: they fight for the men who are out there with them. If there’s a culture of teamwork within your organization, veterans will be able to fit in more easily.

5. Sticking It Out

Do people typically come to your business looking for a lifelong career, or do they come in looking for a short-term job? Veterans understand commitment. They don’t like the uncertainty of job hunting, especially if they were in the military for a long time. When they enter the civilian world, they want a career: a job where they can advance from within, work their way up, and potentially spend the rest of their working years. If you’ve created a company culture where employees typically stick it out, rather than jumping to another job within a few short years, your company will be more attractive to veterans.

If you want to create a company culture that is welcoming to veterans, making sure that it has these key attributes is a great place to start. Veterans transitioning to civilian life can make loyal employees who will give their all to their companies. The question is, are you giving it to them? If you’re looking for more ways to offer support to veterans or to offer them a place in your business, contact us today to learn more about how we can help.